Serpentine projector



March 11, 1930. A. H. NUNEMACHER SERPENTINE PROJECTOR Filed April 27. 1927 Patented Mar. 1l, 1930 UNITED STATES ARTHUR H. NUNEMACHER, OF

SERPENTNE Application led. April 27,

My invention relates to a mechanical device whereby a roll of serpentine paper may be simultaneously projected and unrolled.

An object of the invention is to provide a projector of the class described whereby a positively directed projection of the roll of serpentine is provided.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described having a minimum of parts and which is of particularly simple structure.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated inthe drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawings and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawings,

Figure 1 is a sectional side view of the projector, with the parts disposed in operative position.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device showing the roll of serpentine disposed for projection thereby.

Figure 3 is a side View of a modified form of the projector.

Figure l is a perspective view of a member forming part of the device.

The present embodiment of the invention comprises a onepiece body member 5 formed generally as a pistol, which member is provided with a barrel portion 6 having a flat top surface 7 and a butt portion 8 arranged to fit the hand of the user. A perforation 9 is provided adjacent the forward end of the barrel, such perforation extending transversely through the barrel. Threaded through the perforation is an elastic band 11 formed of a rubber composition or the like and having the ends thereof attached in a suitable manner to opposite tips of a stirrupe like member 12, as by staples 13. The member 12, it will be noted, is arranged to be disposed over and be moved along the upper surface 7 of the barrel rearwardly of the per- PATENT rice SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA PROJECTOR 1927. Serial No. 186,865.

foration, and as here shown is formed of a single piece of sheet metal to provide a substantially flat portion 111 shaped generally as a ring segment, it being noted that the opening defined by the concave edge 15 of the por- 55 tion 111 is widest at the tips of the member. llVhen the member 12 is disposed as indicated, the portion 14C is arranged to move along the barrel surface 8 with the plane thereof including the perforation 9. Extending up- GU wardly from the edge 14: is an annular flange 16, which flange preferably extends upwardly from portion 111 a distance substantially equal to the axial width of a roll of serpentine aaper.

With the socket thus provided within the iiange 1G directed toward the barrel extremity, it will now be obvious that if the member 12 be forced rearwardly along the barrel against the resistance of the band 11 and a 70 roll of serpentine be disposed in the socket, release of the member would eect a projection of the roll along the top of the barrel and outwardly of the projector in the general direction in which the barrel is pointed. It will, of course, be obvious that the band 11 would be adjusted to provide equal pulls on the opposite ends of the member 12. Prefer ably, and as here shown, the flange 16 is curved cylindrically to bear along a considerable portion of the peripheral surface of the roll.

Means are provided for releasably holding the member 12 in operative position whereby the release thereof may eect the projection of a roll of serpentine. Provided centrally of the portion 13 is a perforation 17 in which a detent means is arranged to be engaged when the member is operatively disposed. Any suitable detent means arranged for disengagement from the perforation 17 at the will of the operator may be utilized. As here shown, such means comprise a tooth 18 provided on a lever member 19 mounted in the body 5 adjacent the juncture of the barrel and the butt thereof. The lever 19, it will be noted, is generally flat, is disposed in a slot 21 opening from the top of the body and is pivotally secured in the slot by means of a pivot pin 22 engaging its forward end.

The free end of the lever 19 is provided with a thumb button 23, it being noted that the tooth 18 is disposed intermediate the ends of the lever and normally extends upwardly of the adjacent barrel portion. As here shown, the part of the member 12 containing the perforation 17 is bent slightly downwardly out of the general plane of the portion 14 whereby the member will contact with the barrel only adjacent its near edge.

Preferably, and as here shown, the member 19 is of unitary structure and is formed of a single strip of sheet material shaped to provide the tooth 18 and button 23 and perforated at its forward end to receive the pivot pin 22. As here shown, the button 23 is provided at the end of a portion 24 of the member 19, the latter portion extending generally laterally of the tooth carrying portion of the member. The button, it is noted, is formed by appropriately bending portion 24 to have the end 26 thereof disposed in generally parallel relation to the barrel surface 7, it being noted that by doubling the end 26 upon an adjacent part 27 of the portion 24, the end 26 is arranged to be centered with respect to the plane of the member 19. Means are provided for resiliently urgingthe member 19 to maintain the tooth in protruding position and as here shown such means comprises a compression spring 28 disposed beneath the lever adjacent its free end and in a well 29 provided in the body, the spring and well being preferably of a diameter in excess of the thickness of the lever 19 whereby the spring will be positively reta-ined in the well. A stop pin 31 is pro` vided through the body and above the lever, whereby the movement of the lever outwardl of the body is prevented, it being noted t iat no part of the lever other than the tooth 18 and button 23 will at any time protrudel outwardly of the body.

It will now be obvious that with the member 12 held in operative position by means of the tooth 18 and with a roll 32 of serpentine disposed in the socket thereof, a downward pressure on the button 23 will effect release of the member 12 and so project the roll along the barrel surface 7 In order to insure an unrolling of the roll during the projection thereof, the inner end of the paper strip is preferably held against the side of the body, as with a forefinger, whereby the serpentine will be unrolled from the inside of the roll as it progresses in its direction of projection. It will be noted that when the projector is disposed in a usual manner-that is, with the barrel surface 7 -uppermost--the roll will be projected with its flat surfaces horizontal, whereby it will tend to sail7 in a well understood manner.

When the device is to be used in carnival crowds, the mounting of the member 12 is desirably such as will prevent its movement beyond the barrel end following the projection of a serpentine roll thereby. Accordingly, and as particularly disclosed in Figure 3, the perforation 9 in the barrel 6 is disposed sufficiently inwardly of the barrel extremity that the permitted forward movement of the member 12 is no further than the barrel end, it being noted that the member 12 will thus always lie on the same general side of the barrel.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a body, a member' projectible along said body and providing a socket for the reception of a roll of serpentine paper, means operative to resiliently urge said member outwardly of a retracted position thereof, a member mounted in said body and having a detent tooth extending upwardly therefrom for engagement with said projectile member to hold the same in retracted position, means operative to resiliently urge said last detent tooth to remain disposed for engagement with said erojectilc member, and means extending upwardly from said second named member whereby it may be displaced downwardly to release said tooth from engagement with said projectile member.

2. In a device of the character described, a body, a member projectible along said body and providing a socket for the reception of a roll Vof serpentine paper, means operative to resiliently urge said member outwardly of a retracted position thereof, a. pivoted lever member mounted in said body and providing a detent tooth arranged to be normally extended from a side of said body for engagement with said first member to hold the same in retracted position, and means integral with said last member extending from said side of said body and arranged upon a displacement thereof toward said body to roch said lever to disengage said tooth from said first member.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of April, 1927.

ARTHUR I-I. NUNEMACHER.

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